Hello! I live in Brazil and discovered this site browsing the Internet. I will make a trip with my wife in early May for Italy. I will rent a car at the exit and return to Rome's airport in Milan Let me some tips on places to conmhecer during that path. I will ten days with the hire car. I want to make an initial route from Rome to arezzo stopping in any place not yet defined and then followed in Florence through Siena, San Giminiano etc. .. We also want to know Lucca and then go to Maranello (Museum of Ferrari). I wonder whether it is better to go by the mountains (SS12) or take the motorway. Qualçquer information will be of much help. Offers me also to help someone in need of information about Brazil. Sorry any mistake, I used aid of electronic translator to form this text. Thankful, Artur Carvalho
Good morning and welcome to Slow trav. Thanks for your efforts in translation. I understand your question, but perhaps a moderator can synthesize your title a little to elicit more help. It sounds to me like you would like suggestions for a route with a hired car from Rome up to Milan, one way. Where to stop, stay, what to see, local roads or autostrada, etc. I will alert a moderator for you and hopefully you will get some tips! Have fun.
What you wrote is what exatamebnte desire. Thank you for your attention and effort in trying to understand what I wrote. I hope to get any help. Again, sorry for any error in translation of the text. Sincerely, Artur
What you wrote is exactly what I want. Thank you for your attention and effort in trying to understand what I wrote. I hope to get any help. Again, sorry for any error in translation of the text. Sincerely, Artur
Hello, Artur. My first question would be, do you want to see Rome on this trip, or is it just your point of arrival, with plans to pick up the car immediately and head north? It sounds like this is mainly a Tuscany trip, but I don't know if you want suggestions on seeing ancient Rome for the first couple of days.
________________ When life gives you lemons, make limoncello.
Thank you for interest in helping me. I will be in Rome two days and already have a reservation to see the Vatican in a morning. Help for the best view in Rome would be very good too. I will rent a car at the exit of Rome and chose the Tuscany to know I am already in amorous with my wife. From Tuscany and Venice know I will return to Brazil after the airport of Milan (MXP), probably through Verona on the road. I would tips and pleasant places to meet with my wife in Tuscany leaving for Rome. A place to sleep on the first day after Rome in the path of Arezzo. I know planning Pisa, Lucca and Maranello (Ferrari Museum). I wonder if one way road between Lucca and the mountains Maranello (SS12) is possible? I look back and collaboration. Regards,
You have mentioned a LOT: Rome, Arezzo, Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca, Maranello, Venice, Verona, Milan, Florence, and Pisa, all during a 10-day tour.
I know you want a good trip with your wife, and I fear that if you try to see this many cities in 10 days, your wife and you may have marriage problems.
It sounds like Rome and Maranello are essentials, with departure from Milan. I would forget Arezzo and Venice for this trip.
Day 1 & 2 Rome Day 3, 4, 5 make a base in Siena, with day-trips to see Volterra, San Gimignano, perhaps Montalcino and/or Pienza if you like wine. Day 6, 7 Florence Day 8 Lucca, perhaps take the short drive over to Pisa, just to see the Leaning Tower (if you insist). Day 9 pass through Maranello on the way to Milan. Day 10 Milan.
________________ When life gives you lemons, make limoncello.
Thank you for the information. I think you have less reason to go through cities, but with more quality in the visits. This is also the view of my wife. Esclareço that in fact we have free ten days after the departure of Rome. You mentioned a base near Siena. It would have any suggestions? And tips on local restaurants in a pleasant and good order if possible? Thank you. Artur
Artur, I have one suggestion. Do not drive into the Centro Storico of Florence. There are Zones of Traffic Limitations there. Autos that are not registered with the city will be photographed and then months later you will received a very big bill from your rental car company for the violation of the traffic law. And that will be for each time a camera takes a photo of the car!!
If you want to go to Florence, take the train into the center, or park on the far side of the Arno near the Porta Romana and walk into the center. It is about a 10 - 15 minute walk.
Charnee Smit: Italian in a previous life.
Posts: 277 | Location: San Leandro, CA | Registered: 21 September 2007
Hello Arthur, maybe do what we are doing, travel by train to Rome and then hire a car nearer Tuscany. We are hiring ours' out of Chiusu so as not to have to negotiate places like Rome. If you want more details of where we are hiring our car please email me.
Tuscany is full of beautiful places to see, to eat at and to sleep in. Wherever you go you will discover something new (to you) and wonderful.
As you will be moving from place to place, I would suggest that you stay in farmhouse/bed and breakfast accommodation. Farmhouse accommodation is known as "agriturismi".
According to About.com and agriturismo is:
"Agriturismo - a combination of the words for "agriculture" and "tourism" in Italian - is a style of vacationing in farm house resorts codified into Italian law in 1985. An agriturismo vacation is suitable for the whole family.
An Italian agriturismo will usually serve foods to guests prepared from raw materials produced on the farm or at least locally. Some will allow the guest to actually participate in the activities surrounding the farm. Despite the rural nature of the lodging, one might expect a rustic experience; yet many agriturismi (the plural form of agriturismo) feature rather luxurious accommodation as well as swimming pools."
If you like to try typical regional food, cooked in traditional style you might like to book into an agriturismo for mezza pensione which means breakfast and dinner at night. The dinner consists of three or four courses and often includes the wine as well.
Here is a good list of agriturismi in Tuscany divided into regions:
Originally posted by valda: As you will be moving from place to place, I would suggest that you stay in farmhouse/bed and breakfast accommodation. Farmhouse accommodation is known as "agriturismi".
My only problem with this is that most of the really good agriturismos (the ones that demonstrate pasta and cheese making, let you help in the kitchen, join in with the family board games in the evening and really make you a part of the farm family) only rent on a 7-day-stay basis, Saturday-to-Saturday. This doesn't fit well with plans to see several different parts of Tuscany over a 10-day period.
With a little looking you can find places that rent by the day, but you give up a lot of the things that make an agriturismo stay special.
________________ When life gives you lemons, make limoncello.
Patrick, Charnee, Cazzie and Valda, thank you for help. I have heard talk of the Zone of TRáfico Limited in Florence, but I do not know well its limits. I think that booking a hotel be outside the zone (http://www.keyresidence.it/). If someone can help me if I am correct in the real situation of this hotel me. From the hotel I want to move to the centre by bus. As for agriculturismo "I was very interested, but I wonder if there is option of only one or two days? Any other suggestions for restaurants or hotels in Milan-Rome route, especially in Tuscany I am grateful. Please send your site to better analyze the place indicated. How am new here and I do not speak English very well, I do not know yet I personally communicate (private message) with another person. Sorry. I learn and help deepen a conversation. If you want tips for tourism in Brazil I am willing to help those who need it. Again, thank you. Artur
A suggestion...do the math. You have 10 days starting in Rome (after 2 days in spent Rome, right?). Minus a day getting to Milan for your flight home. Pick ONE or at most two places to stay. For example, you could stay a bit south of Florence, go into the city once or twice by public transportation (probably bus), explore the small nearby towns and villages and perhaps go into Lucca or Siena for the day (if you can take public transportation - probably bus - to Siena, do so). This would be a much more relaxed vacation for you and your wife. Note that, in general, traveling North-South in Italy is much easier than traveling East-West.
Another option is to take the train (or drive) to Chusi, stay near Montepulciano for several days, leave the car at Chusi and take the train (or drive) to Florence to stay for a few of days; then take the train (or fly) to Milan. From Florence, you could visit Siena (by bus) or Lucca (by train).
Remember 10 days is 10 days. I recommend that you plan ONE major thing to do each day with a few optional things very close by. Recognize that many if not most places close at 12 or 1 and do not reopen until 3 or 4. Put together a list, then prioitize. I still haven't done all the things I had planned to do on my first trip to Italy ten years ago even though I have taken 8 2-3 week trips since then.
---Marlene
Posts: 565 | Location: Boston, MA | Registered: 11 May 2004